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News
- [SMM Daily Chromium Review] Cost Support Kept Quotations Firm, and Recent Market Fluctuations Were Limited
[SMM Daily Chrome Commentary: Cost Support Kept Offers Firm, with Limited Recent Market Fluctuations] March 25, 2026: Chrome ore quotations saw no adjustment, while low- and micro-carbon ferrochrome prices were raised somewhat...
Mar 25, 2026 14:30 - Improving Macro Sentiment Drove a Rebound in Tin Prices, While Follow-Through in Spot Transactions Remained Limited [SMM Tin Midday Commentary]
[SMM Midday Tin Commentary: Improving Macro Sentiment Drove a Rebound in Tin Prices, While Follow-Through in Spot Transactions Remained Limited]
Mar 25, 2026 11:27 - Copper Cathode Rod Operating Rates Rise for 4 Weeks, Enterprises Adjust to High Demand Pressure【SMM Analysis】
The operating rate of major copper cathode rod enterprises in China stood at 81.51% last week (March 13–March 19), marking the fourth consecutive week of MoM improvement since the Chinese New Year, with industry sentiment continuing to recover. The strong rebound in the operating rate in this round was mainly driven by two factors: first, the relatively weak operating rates of secondary copper rod enterprises, coupled with the price difference between copper cathode and copper scrap remaining at a relatively low level, significantly weakened the substitution effect between copper cathode and copper scrap, leaving more market room for copper cathode rod; second, improving orders for downstream wire and cable and enamelled wire boosted a faster drawdown in enterprises' finished product inventories. As copper prices broke above low-level support, downstream procurement sentiment continued to heat up, and new orders for copper cathode rod enterprises showed a pattern of concentrated volume release. Most enterprises reported that their production pace could no longer keep up with shipment progress, and some had already begun to proactively control the pace of taking orders to ensure contract fulfillment. From the downstream industry perspective, wire and cable as well as enamelled wire enterprises also benefited from the pullback in copper prices, with operating rates steadily rebounding, further boosting demand for copper rod. Inventory side, although the pullback in copper prices boosted enterprises' willingness to restock, constrained by limited room for capacity release, enterprises did not excessively stockpile on dips and mostly maintained normal production raw material reserves. Meanwhile, due to continued downstream pick-up of goods, enterprises' capacity was unable to fully match order demand, accelerating the drawdown of finished product inventories. Enterprises Raise Processing Fees and Increase Margin Requirements to Control Risks After copper prices pulled back sharply, downstream purchase willingness increased significantly, and order concentration rose markedly. To reasonably control the pace of taking orders, some enterprises urgently raised processing fees. At the same time, affected by the increased uncertainty in the pace of cargo pick-up caused by concentrated downstream order placement, as well as the continued decline in copper prices, enterprises became more concerned about the default risk of earlier high-priced orders, and some enterprises simultaneously increased margin ratios to strengthen risk control. Looking ahead, with copper prices rising at present, downstream procurement sentiment has clearly weakened. To ensure stable deliveries, copper cathode rod enterprises are expected to maintain relatively high operating loads. Although rigid demand is gradually being fully released, against the backdrop of low finished product inventories, enterprises will still maintain high operating rates to replenish inventory. Accordingly, SMM expects the operating rate of China's copper cathode rod enterprises to fluctuate at highs in March.
Mar 25, 2026 15:22 - Sellers Show a Strong Willingness to Hold Prices Firm, While Transaction Premiums Continue to Narrow [SMM Spot Aluminum Midday Commentary]
SMM News, March 25: In early trading, SHFE aluminum 2604 fluctuated downward, but was slightly higher than the previous trading day. Overall market buying sentiment was good, and sellers held prices firm as aluminum prices remained at relatively low levels. Later in the morning, SHFE aluminum 2604 fluctuated upward, with its center running higher than the previous trading day. Some sellers still did not quote prices, while some showed a notably stronger willingness to hold prices firm. Overall market buying sentiment was good. Today’s mainstream transaction prices were concentrated around the average price of the SHFE aluminum 04 contract to a premium of 10 yuan/mt. Today, the east China market shipment sentiment index was 2.64, up 0.01 WoW; the purchasing sentiment index was 2.42, up 0.02 WoW. Today, aluminum prices stopped falling and rebounded. Affected by the fear of further declines over the previous two days, traders and downstream processing enterprises in central China showed slightly improved buying sentiment today from the previous day, but overall transactions had not yet returned to a fully active state, and buyers tended to purchase at wider discounts. Ultimately, actual transaction prices in the central China market ranged from a discount of 20 yuan to a premium of 10 yuan against the central China price. Today, the central China market shipment sentiment index was 2.64, up 0.01 WoW; the purchasing sentiment index was 2.42, up 0.02 WoW. Inventory side, aluminum ingot inventory in major consumption regions increased by 4,000 mt from the previous period today, with Guangdong being the main source of destocking. In the short term, aluminum ingot continued its post-Chinese New Year seasonal inventory buildup. Supported by bullish sentiment, premiums are expected to remain on a narrowing trend.
Mar 25, 2026 13:59 - SHFE Tin Stopped Falling and Rebounded, Closing Up 2.94%, as Macro Headwinds and Bottom Support Pulled in Opposite Directions [SMM Daily Tin Commentary]
[SMM Tin Brief Commentary: SHFE Tin Stopped Falling and Rebounded, Closing Up 2.94% as Macro Pressure and Bottom Support Vied Against Each Other]
Mar 24, 2026 18:33 - SHFE Tin Pulled Back Under Pressure in Early Trading After Rebounding, Spot Transactions Weakened [SMM Tin Midday Commentary]
[SMM Tin Midday Commentary: SHFE Tin Pulled Back Under Pressure in Early Trading After Rebounding, and Spot Transactions Weakened]
Mar 24, 2026 12:01
Announcements
Dear Users, Since the beginning of this year, imported titanium concentrate has impacted the domestic market, and its price fluctuations have garnered close attention from downstream enterprises such as titanium dioxide and sponge titanium producers. To promote international trade of titanium products, assist global upstream and downstream enterprises in grasping market dynamics, obtaining spot price information, reducing cross-border transaction risks and costs, and deepening industry chain research, SMM has decided to launch five new price points for titanium concentrate and rutile for market reference, effective from December 29th . The specific price point information is as follows: Price Point: Titanium Concentrate (Mozambique TiO₂ ≥46%) Price Definition: VAT included, spot transaction price at port Unit of Account: RMB/tonne Country of Origin: Mozambique Price Generation Regions: Major Chinese ports including Caofeidian Port, Qinzhou Port, Zhanjiang Port, Rizhao Port, etc. Product Standard: Conforms to YB/T 4031-2015 standard, with specifications: TiO₂ (dry basis): ≥ 46.00%, S: ≤ 0.25%, P: ≤ 0.06%, Fe₂O₃: ≤ 8.0%, H₂O: ≤ 1.0% Minimum Quantity Requirement: ≥30 tonnes Release Time: Before 11:30 AM Beijing Time on business days Price Point: Titanium Concentrate (Nigeria TiO₂ ≥50%) Price Definition: VAT included, spot transaction price at port Unit of Account: RMB/tonne Country of Origin: Nigeria Price Generation Regions: Major Chinese ports including Qinzhou Port, Rizhao Port, etc. Product Standard: Conforms to YB/T 4031-2015 standard, with specifications: TiO₂ (dry basis): ≥ 50.00%, S: ≤ 0.20%, P: ≤ 0.040%, Fe₂O₃: ≤ 7.0%, H₂O: ≤ 1.0% Minimum Quantity Requirement: ≥30 tonnes Release Time: Before 11:30 AM Beijing Time on business days Price Point: Titanium Concentrate (Australia TiO₂ ≥50%) Price Definition: VAT included, spot transaction price at port Unit of Account: RMB/tonne Country of Origin: Australia Price Generation Regions: Major Chinese ports including Caofeidian Port, etc. Product Standard: Conforms to YB/T 4031-2015 standard, with specifications: TiO₂ (dry basis): ≥ 50.00%, S: ≤ 0.20%, P: ≤ 0.040%, Fe₂O₃: ≤ 7.0%, H₂O: ≤ 1.0% Minimum Quantity Requirement: ≥30 tonnes Release Time: Before 11:30 AM Beijing Time on business days Price Point: Rutile (Sierra Leone TiO₂ ≥95%) Price Definition: VAT included, spot transaction price at port Unit of Account: RMB/tonne Country of Origin: Sierra Leone Price Generation Regions: Major Chinese ports including Qinzhou Port, etc. Product Standard: Conforms to common industry standards for rutile concentrate, with specifications: TiO₂ (dry basis): ≥ 95.00%, S: ≤ 0.02%, P: ≤ 0.020%, Fe₂O₃: ≤ 0.50%, H₂O: ≤ 0.50% Minimum Quantity Requirement: ≥30 tonnes Release Time: Before 11:30 AM Beijing Time on business days Price Point: Rutile (Sierra Leone TiO₂ ≥90%) Price Definition: VAT included, spot transaction price at port Unit of Account: RMB/tonne Country of Origin: Sierra Leone Price Generation Regions: Major Chinese ports including Qinzhou Port, etc. Product Standard: Conforms to common industry standards for rutile concentrate, with specifications: TiO₂ (dry basis): ≥ 90.00%, S: ≤ 0.05%, P: ≤ 0.040%, Fe₂O₃: ≤ 1.20%, H₂O: ≤ 0.80% Minimum Quantity Requirement: ≥30 tonnes Release Time: Before 11:30 AM Beijing Time on business days SMM Titanium Industry Research Team December 23, 2025
PriceDec 23, 2025 13:23Singapore, as a globally significant transshipment hub for tin ingots, holds a critical position in the global tin industry landscape. In recent years, due to policy adjustments in major producing countries and changes in global tin resource reserves, the volume of tin ingots transshipped through Singapore has fluctuated at different stages. Against this industry backdrop, the Singapore Tin Ingot FOB price is of paramount importance to upstream and downstream enterprises in the global tin industry chain. In response to market changes, to meet the broad user demand for Singapore Tin Ingot FOB price discovery, and to enhance market information transparency, SMM has decided: Starting from September 26, 2025, to publish the ‘SMM Tin 99.9% Ingot premium, FOB Singapore, USD/tonne’ price. Price details are as follows: - Description: SMM Tin 99.9% Ingot premium, FOB Singapore, USD/tonne - Quality: Tin ingot with 99.9% purity, conforming to LME specification (BS EN 610:1996) and containing 200 - 300 ppm lead. - Definition: FOB Singapore, excluding tax, premium on top of LME cash prices - Unit: USD/tonne - Quantity: Min 5 tonnes - Timing: Within 2 weeks - Payment Terms: Cash against document, telegraphic transfer, other terms normalized - Publication: Weekly, Friday 10:30 AM Beijing Time SMM Tin Industry Research Department September 23, 2025
PriceSep 23, 2025 15:06- Price[SMM Announcement] New Price Announcement for ‘SMM Tin 99.9% Ingot premium, CIF Shanghai, USD/tonne’
As the world's core consumer of the tin industry, China holds a pivotal position in the global tin industry chain. In recent years, influenced by factors such as adjustments in domestic and overseas policies, changes in global tin resource reserves, and fluctuations in consumer demand, the trade volume of Shanghai tin ingots has also exhibited periodic variations. Against this industry backdrop, the Shanghai tin ingot CIF price is crucial for upstream and downstream enterprises in the global tin industry chain. To actively respond to market changes, meet the widespread user demand for Shanghai tin ingot CIF price discovery, and enhance market information transparency, SMM has decided: Starting from September 26, 2025, to publish the ‘SMM Tin 99.9% Ingot premium, CIF Shanghai, USD/tonne’ price. Price details are as follows: - Description: SMM Tin 99.9% Ingot premium, CIF Shanghai, USD/tonne - Quality: Tin ingot with 99.9% purity, conforming to LME specification (BS EN 610:1996) and containing 200 - 300 ppm lead. - Definition: CIF Shanghai, excluding tax, premium on top of LME cash prices - Unit: USD/tonne - Quantity: Min 5 tonnes - Timing: Within Two Weeks - Payment Terms: Cash against document, telegraphic transfer, other terms normalized - Publication: Weekly, Friday 10:30 AM Beijing Time SMM Tin Industry Research Department September 23, 2025
PriceSep 23, 2025 15:01